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Brothers Union Club joined holders Abahani and Biman atop the table when the Gopibagh outfit recorded an empathic 55-run win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra in a Janakantha Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The last year's runners-up confirmed their seventh win when, defending a moderate total of 261, shot Kalabagan out for 206 in 71.1 overs.

Kalabagan, however, were only to be blamed for making a mess out of an attainable target, after an exhibition of reckless batting by their top-order batsmen, swung the match the other way.

With this defeat - their fourth in nine matches - Kalabagan have now dropped down to third position behind Mohammedan Sporting Club and Surjo Tarun, who are jointly holding the second place.

Kalabagan were off to a cautious start, scoring 95 runs for two wickets in 37 overs before lunch. But after the break they lost their way in the face of some controlled bowling from Brothers spin trio of Sanuar Hossain, Zahid Ahmed and Towhid Hossain, who shared eight wickets among themselves.

Sanuar, the right-arm off-spinner who has been included in the 30-men primary squad for the World Cup 99, returned with four for 20 while Pakistani left-arm spinner Zahid Ahmed finished with three for 29 from his 14 tight overs. Young leg-spinner Touhid Hossain took one wicket for 29 runs in his six overs.

Openers Harun-ur Rashid and Sajid Hasan gave Kalabagan a sound start putting on 41 runs against some wayward bowling from Brothers' new ball duo of Shahnewaz and Safiuddin Ahmed.

The partnership was broken in the 12th over when Harun dragged a delivery from medium pacer Khaled Mahmud on to his stumps after making 24 off 36 balls with the help of a sixer and a couple of fours.

After Harun's departure, Kalabagan lost wickets at regular intervals.

One-down Ghulam Ali (7) was next to go at 57. The former Pakistan Test player offered a simple catch to Sanuar at the first slip off his compatriot Zahid.

All-rounder Mushfiqur Rahman then joined Sajid to repair the damage, putting on 47 runs for the third wicket. But Mushfiq, on 23, offered a return catch to leg-spinner Towhid Hossain only three overs after the lunch break leaving Kalabagan at 104 in the 40.1 overs.

But the real Kalabagan rot started when Shahid Saeed and Sajid departed in successive overs of Zahid.

Saeed, who was looking increasingly dangerous with a flurry of shots, made a quick-fire 27 off 30 ball. But his innings came to an abrupt and when he offered a sharp catch at the silly mid- off. Zahid then had Sajid taken by Shahriar backward square leg.

Shahriar ran about 20 yards behind his shoulder from mid-wicket to complete a brilliant catch. Sajid scored 46 off 134 balls inclusive of three boundaries.

With Sajid gone, Kalabagan were reduced to 145 for five from where they never recovered.

Sanuar than caught the Kalabagan tail in his spinning web to keep Brothers afloat in the title race.

Today's Matches

Janakantha Premier Division Cricket League:

Mohammedan SC v Sadharan Bima KS
Venue: Bangabandhu National Stadium

Biman v Victoria SC
Venue: Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium

Agrani Bank v Ajax SC
Venue: BKSP